Combined engine starter and driving means for mechanisms



R. P. LANSING 1,730,220

COIBINED ENGINE STARTER AND DRIVING MEANS FOR IECHANISIS Filed 090- 1]., 1925 2. Sheets-Sheet 1 k a w l Oct. 1, 1929. LANSING 1,730,220

COIBINBD ENGINE STARTER AND DRIVING IBANS FOR IECHANISNS Filed Dec. 11, 1925 2 Sheats-Sheet 2 up l mm Patented Oct. 1, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAYMOND P. LANSING, OF MON TCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 ECLIPSE MACHINE COMPANY, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK COMBINED ENGINE STARTER AND DRIVING MEANS FOR MECHANISMS Application filed December My invention relates to apparatus for the starting of an engine, such as an internal combustion engine used more particularly but not necessarily on airplanes wherein compactness of structure and efficiency of operation are essential, and the object thereof is to combine with such an apparatus an operating connection such as a shaft, operatively connected with and driven by the engine and serving as the actuating means of any one of several mechanisms carried usually by airplanes such as a gasoline pump, a generator, a supercharger, an engine speed tachometer, a gun synchronizer, etc. In the preferred and hereinafter described practical structure, the construction and arrangement of my engine starter apparatus are such that the operating shaft for any of such mechanisms extends conveniently therethrough and takes off power from the same point of said engine member that such apparatus applies its torque to in the starting of the engine.

In the present embodiment of my invention, I have shown a suitable and practical form and construction of engine starter apparatus, and with respect to the driven mechanism I have selected a gasoline pump, although any one of such above mentioned mechanisms, or some other, may be employed, and as such pump is of any suitableor conventional form or construction, the details thereof need not be illustrated or described;

In the drawings, Figure lis a sectional elevation of my combined structure showing a part of the engine structure; Fig. 2 a section on the irregular line 22 of Fig. 1; Figs. 3'

and 4 sections on the same section line of Fig. 1 designated as 33 and 4-4 but looking in opposite directions.

Referring to the particular embodiment of my inventions as herein selected for the purposes of a clear and definite description, the engine starter apparatus comprises a drive ineluding a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started and driven by suitable means which in the present instance comprises manual means.

Describing the drive, the same is located within a main casing 1 and a forwardly ex- 11, 1925. Serial No. 74,841.

tending cap or extension casing 1, such main casing being suitably supported as by being detachably connected with the crank case 2 of the engine, a small portion of which is illustrated. Within a bushing 3 in the casing,

ulated by the adjustable nut 8 screwing on the outer end of the shell. The thrust of these springs tends to force the shell outwardly whereby the ring 9 clamps the disks together by forcing them against the ring 10 which bears against the annular internal flange 11.

The shell 5 is provided with internal long lead threads 12 in which is threaded a screw shaft 13 which is provided at its outer end with the driving member, here in the form of an externally splined clutch element 14 which as shown and by preference is formed integral with the screw shaft. The other member of this clutch is formed by the internallysplined socket 15 in the hub 16 of a rotata able member of the engine to be started, which engine member is here a bevel gear 17 secured in suitable manner as by means of the bolts 18 to a coller 19 on the engine crank shaft 20.

For driving the, drive or transmission which in the present instance is by manual means, a large gear 21 is provided the same being secured at its web portion to the barrel 4 in suitable manner as by means of radial projections or splines 22 and screws 23. In the present instance, this gear is a worm gear and the same is provided with a marginal vflange 24 on which such gear is formed. For rotating the worm gear, a worm 25 is employed the same being secured to or forming a part of a rotatable cranking shaft 26, suitably journaled in an extension casing 1 By preference, both ends of the cranking shaft rotatable element of the pump is operatively connected in suitable manner with one end of a drive shaft 30 connecting between the engine and such ump. This drive shaft extends centrally t rough the engine starter apparatus, and to this end, as shown, the screw shaft 13 is made hollow, in the'form of a sleeve through which such drive shaft 30 extends, the same projecting beyond the clutch element 14 of such screw shaft. The outer end of the shaft 30 is so formed and cooperates with the hub 16 of the engine member that it is rotated therebyand is also readily applicable to and detachablefrom such engine member, Asshownin Figs. 1 and 4, this shaft 30 has at its outer end a flange 31 terminating in a series of tongues 32 which are adapted to be received by the longitudinal grooves 33 between the splinesin the central bore of the hub 16. In order to hold the shaft 30 in proper position longitudinally, I employ suitable means, such as a spring ring 34 bearing in a peripheral groove in the shaft 30 and cooperating with the inner end of the screw shaft to limit the outward movement of such shaft 30.

Describing the operation of the engine starter apparatus, and beginning with the parts in their normal position as shown in Fig. 1, when the shaft 26 is rotated by the operator, the worm gear 21 will be rotated and likewise the barrel 4. Through the clutch 6, the torque is communicated thence to the shell or nut 5. Inasmuch as the'screw shaft is provided with a resistance to rotary movement by means of the fingers 35 of a rotatable disk 35 making suitable frictional engagement with the casing 1 such screw shaft will be automatically advanced longitudinally to the left (Fig. 1) by screw action of the threads between such shaft and the nut. The clutch element 14 will thereupon be brought into driving relation with the engine member through the engagement of the clutch element v 14 with the grooves 15in such engine member.- The engine will now be cranked and when the same. operates on its own power, the excess speed of the rotationof the engine member will automatically cause the screw f shaft and its'clutch element 14 to be disengaged from the engine member and to resume the normal position shown in Fig. 1. The enginehaving now been started, power therefrom is utilized by the driving of the pump 28 through the medium of the engine member 17 and the drive shaft 30.

By these means and in this manner, -I am enabled to provide a most compact and eifi-. cient structure for an engine starter and gas-- oline pump, particularly useful in respect to airplane engine because of the lack of 4 space for installation and the difliculty of obtaining a suitable point of" driving connection with the engine for the purpose of driv- -ing the pump, such as a gasoline pump for supplying, under pressure, the fuel for the engine. As shown, the engine member 17 provides not only a place of application of the torque ofv the engine starter apparatus, but

also a place of connection for the driving ated by the engine, andalso adapted to drive any kind of mechanism.

I claim:

1. An engine starter apparatus including a driving member adapted to engage and crank amember of the engine to be started, in combination with a driving means rotatably free from and passing through said apparatus and operatively connected with the engine member.

2. An engine starter apparatus including adriving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started and having a central bore, in combination with a driving shaft rotatably free from and passing through said bore and operatively connected with the engine member.

3. An engine starter apparatus including a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engineto be started, in combination with a driving shaft rotatably free from and passing centrally through said apparatus and operatively connected with the engine member.

4. A driving shaft adapted to be connected engine starter.

5. A driving shaft adapted to be connected to a member of theengine to be started and extending axially therefrom, in combination with an engine starter and including a driving member encompassing said shaft substantially throughout its length and mounted for longitudinal movement into engagement with the engine member and for rotary movement for cranking such member, said driving shaft being rotatably free from such engine starter.

6. In combination with the crank shaft of an engine to be cranked, a starter apparatus including a hollow driving shaft mounted axially of the crank shaft for longitudinal movement into engagement therewith and for rotary movement for cranking the same, and a driving shaft operatively connected with said crank shaft and extending axially thereof and through said driving shaft.

7. .In combination with the crank shaft of an engine to be cranked, a socketed memb'er attached thereto, a starter apparatus including a hollow shaft mounted axially of the crank shaft for longitudinal movement into engagement with said member and for rotary movement for cranking the engine, and a driving shaft received-by and operatively connected with said member and extending axially of the crank shaft and through said starter shaft.

8. An engine starter apparatus includin a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, means for actuating such apparatus, a casing in which such means are mounted, in combination with a driven mechanism mounted -member having upon such casing and havinga driving shaft passing through said driving member and operatlvely connected with the engine member.

9. In combination with the crank shaft of an engine to be cranked, a socketed member attached thereto, a starter apparatus including a hollow shaft mounted axially of the crank shaft for longitudinal movement into engagement with said member and for rotary movement for cranking the engine, said socketed member having internal splines, and a driving shaft having at one end a flange provided with tongues and grooves for engagin said splines, said shaft extending throug said starter shaft. a

10. In combination with the crank shaft of an engine to be cranked, a socketed member attached thereto, a starter a paratus including a hollow shaft mounted axially of the crank shaft for longitudinal movement into engagement with said. member and for rotary 'movement for cranking the engine, and a driving shaft having at one end a flange provided with tongues and grooves and extending through sa1d starter shaft, said socketed internal splines engaged by the two shafts. 1-1. An engine starter crank a member of the and having acentral apparatus includin a driving member adapted to engage and engine to be started 1 bore, in combination my name.

RAYMOND P. LANSING 

